House Education committee advances bill to study North Dakota higher education system

The House Education Committee on an amended version of Senate Bill 22-42 voted 13-1 to give the measure a do-pass recommendation, creating a legislative study of North Dakota institutions of higher education that, as amended, adds review of research competitiveness and quality of education and names the current student member of the State Board of Higher Education as a nonvoting member of the study committee.

Senator Yana Merdahl, who introduced the bill, said the proposal is intended as a proactive, nonappropriations study to bring together legislators, K‑12 and higher‑education leaders, industry and other stakeholders to recommend ways to modernize institutions. "I'm pretty excited about this bill. Actually, it's pretty simple, but very important," Merdahl said, adding the panel could examine issues such as credit transfer, dual credit expansion and accelerated degree models.

The bill drew opposition from the North Dakota Student Association. Carter Gill, vice president of governmental affairs for the NDSA, urged a do‑not‑pass recommendation unless several changes were made. Gill said the association is concerned about section 1.1(e), "consideration of the feasibility and desirability of consolidating colleges and universities and implementing satellite campuses," and about section 1.1(c), "an analysis of the cost of tuition and fees for students." He urged removal of section 1.1(e), removal of student fees from 1.1(c), and the addition of a student nonvoting member on the committee.

Committee members debated the bill's scope and membership. Representative Conmey asked whether the study would examine functions such as merging and efficiency; Merdahl said she intentionally avoided funding and formula questions and wanted a focused study. Other members raised concerns that the proposed industry representation (manufacturing, health care, agriculture, energy, and similar workforce sectors) did not fully represent liberal arts, teacher education or faculty perspectives; a motion to add a faculty representative failed for lack of a second.

Representative Schreiber Beck moved an amendment to add two study topics—research competitiveness and quality of education—and to add a student nonvoting member who currently serves on the State Board of Higher Education; Representative Heilman seconded the amendment. The amendment passed on a roll call (recorded in committee minutes). Later, Representative Schreiber Beck moved a do-pass recommendation on the amended bill; Representative Jonas seconded. The committee roll call on the do‑pass motion recorded 13 yes votes and 1 no vote (Representative Hager). The motion carried 13‑1.

The bill text, as discussed in committee, includes a list of suggested nonvoting participants and industry representatives; committee members said they expect the Legislative Management or leadership to handle final appointments and that additional witnesses could be invited to testify if needed. Merdahl said the bill does not itself appropriate funds and that the State Board of Higher Education and other higher‑education officials have expressed interest in a focused review.

The committee recorded objections and cautions about the study's potential implications, including student governments' role in establishing student fees and concerns that consolidations could reduce the "individuality and uniqueness" of smaller campuses. The North Dakota Student Association requested an explicit student position on the committee; the amendment adopted the current student member of the State Board of Higher Education as the nonvoting student representative.

The committee closed the bill record after the vote and moved on to other agenda items.